The present invention relates to the support for transportation, installation, support after installation and structural integrity of fixed evaporative air coolers.
Evaporative air coolers are used to cool domestic and industrial premises. These coolers are normally mounted on the roof of the premises directly connected to the ductwork used to convey the air from the cooler to an air distribution system within the ceiling space under the roof of the building. The cooler must therefore generally have sufficient structural integrity to support its own weight under all weather conditions and for very long periods of time. Such structural integrity is usually incorporated in the structural design of the cooler components, in particular, the base of the cooler.
A further requirement for evaporative coolers, particularly those fitted with an axial flow fan, is to provide an airflow transition between the circular shape at the discharge of the fan and the generally square shape of the ductwork to which the airflow of the cooler is to be transmitted. This transition is generally provided by a separate transition piece between the fan discharge and the connection to the ductwork.
During the manufacture, storage, transportation and installation of evaporative coolers, it is necessary to provide additional support and strength to the cooler to withstand the rigors of movement and external impacts. This support is generally provided by mounting the cooler on a disposable shipping pallet during the manufacturing process, which is subsequently discarded once the cooler is installed at the customers"" premises. The shipping pallet must provide for access and pickup by a conventional forklift in addition to its cooler support function. The shipping pallet is generally manufactured from timber or other low cost materials, but still presents a cost that does not form part of the ultimate value of the cooler. In addition, timber pallets are often broken in transport resulting in further losses as damage to the cooler.
Traditionally, all of these requirements are met by incorporating in the cooler a base of sufficient structural integrity to support the cooler, a transition piece to match the fan outlet and ductwork connection shapes, and a low cost pallet for transportation and handling.
Other solutions to this problem in the market place utilise a plastic moulded pallet to support the cooler, which also contributes to the structural integrity of the cooler base. The pallet is left attached as a permanent part of the cooler after its installation. However, this results in an objectionable appearance to the final installation since the projections necessary to allow forklift access are left starkly visible underneath the cooler. Alternatively, the installer is required to physically remove the projections requiring additional effort and still with a compromise as to appearance.
During installation of the cooler, the installer is often faced with the problem of manoeuvring the entire cooler to a level orientation single-handed. It is essential the cooler be set level at installation for correct operation. This can be a difficult operation when the entire weight of the cooler has to be supported and orientated while fitting the fasteners to the discharge ducting through the roof.
Fixing of the cooler to the ducting presents further problems to the installer. Generally, fasteners are applied directly through the cooler base or an extension thereof to the ducting. This invariably requires the installer to access a small and difficult space beneath the cooler, and the physically difficult task of driving the fasteners through to the duct. Generally, this would necessitate two persons to remain with the cooler during the fitting of fasteners, whereas the task of fixing the cooler would be immediately completed if it could be fitted in its final position without the need for fasteners.
In some localities, particularly the USA, there are local requirements that the cooler be supported on the roof independently of the discharge ducting. In practise, this requires the fitment of support legs at the corners of the cooler. Such support legs must have sufficient strength and rigidity to support the cooler under all operating conditions. There are many methods of fitting and holding the support legs in the prior art, including our Australian patent application no. 23501/97 and its U.S. counterpart U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,935 for a telescoping leg, which is contained within the corner post of the cooler. The telescoping leg has the added advantage of being infinitely adjustable for all roof slopes and can easily be set to provide a pre-load of support to the cooler in the set position, thereby ensuring that all load is relieved from the ducting. However; from the perspective of an attractive appearance to the cooler once installed, it is necessary to hide all of a telescoping leg other than that portion which is directly supporting the cooler.
Our previous Australian provisional application no. PQ 4584 describes a weatherseal mechanism fitted to the discharge of an axial fan cooler with unique features including the complete absence of protrusions in the airstream to disturb the flow of air. As described in that application, the weatherseal mechanism is supported and hinged within the support structure described in this application. Such a mechanism is only possible with a support structure that becomes a part of the cooler once it is installed, and is an integral part of the cooler structure.
The present invention addresses all of these problems in the design of the features built into transition support mechanism of the cooler.
A support structure for the support of evaporative air cooler consisting of a mounting transition, a means of fixing said evaporative air cooler to said transition without the use of fasteners, a means of supporting and concealing telescopic corner supports, a means of supporting an anti draft shutter assembly, a means of transitioning air flow from a circular fan discharge to a square duct, and a transportation pallet which also serves as an installation aid.